The document provides analysis of Lesson 6 from a Bible study series on the Book of Job. It summarizes Eliphaz's response to Job's suffering in Job 4-5, noting that while Eliphaz understood some truths about God, his reasoning was not comforting to Job and he wrongly assumed Job's suffering was due to sin. The document also examines how we should approach suffering with compassion rather than judgment.

1. Lesson 6

2. “Can a mortal be
more righteous
than God?
Can a man be
more pure than
his Maker?”
Job 4:17

3. Let’s study Eliphaz response to Job’s suffering
(Job 4 y 5). Is Eliphaz’s theology right? Was
his reasoning comforting for Job or for
anyone in his situation?
1. Productive suffering.
2. Eliphaz’s view on suffering:
 Innocents don’t suffer. Job 4:1-11.
 God’s upright character. Job 4:12-21.
 The fools’ fall. Job 5.
3. “Judge nothing before the time.”

4. “Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.”
(Psalm 119:67 NIV)
We learnt from the two first chapters of Job that
human suffering may be purposeless sometimes,
since it usually is part of a greater framework that
transcends our world; the Great Controversy.
Nevertheless, the Bible tells us of “productive”
suffering too. Sometimes God uses it to make us
think about our sinful condition so we turn to Him.
God never causes suffering, but He uses it
sometimes to call broken hearts so they can accept
the solution God provides.

5. “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
Where were the upright ever destroyed?” (Job 4:7 NIV)
Job’s friends came to comfort him, and
they remained silent for seven days.
Then Job broke the silence, but his
friends got angry about his complaints.
Job’s friends had comforted him with
their silence, but now their words
showed how insensitive they were to
his suffering.
Eliphaz basically told Job that he was a
great sinner and that’s why he was
suffering, since innocents don’t suffer.
That was not true. Nevertheless, even if
it was, that wasn’t a good moment to
point at his faults but to sympathize
with the suffering person.

6. “Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can even a strong
man be more pure than his Maker?” (Job 4:17 NIV)
Eliphaz’s speech proves that they knew
God deeply, more than just knowing about
Abraham and his descendants. Eliphaz
understood God’s upright character (Job
4:17), the rebellion in Heaven (Job 4:18)
and the vanity of this life (Job 4:19-21).
He explained God’s character correctly.
The problem was that he didn’t properly
understand Job’s complaint, since Job
didn’t claim that he was more upright
than God.
We may know the truth very well, and we
may be able to defend it. But that is useless
if we can’t understand the problem of the
person next to us and we can’t show him
our true love for him.

7. “As the dew and the still showers fall upon the withering plants, so
let words fall gently when seeking to win men from error. God’s
plan is first to reach the heart. We are to speak the truth in love,
trusting in Him to give it power for the reforming of the life. The
Holy Spirit will apply to the soul the word that is spoken in love…
The wonderful example of Christ, the matchless tenderness with
which He entered into the feelings of others, weeping with those
who wept, rejoicing with those who rejoiced, must have a deep
influence upon the character of all who follow Him in sincerity. By
kindly words and acts they will try to make the path easy for
weary feet…
All around us are afflicted souls. Here and there, everywhere, we
may find them. Let us search out these suffering ones and speak a
word in season to comfort their hearts. Let us ever be channels
through which shall flow the refreshing waters of compassion.”
E.G.W. (The Ministry of Healing, cp. 9, p. 157-158)

8. “I myself have seen a fool
taking root, but suddenly his
house was cursed.” (Job 5:3 NIV)
Eliphaz’s words didn’t apply to Job’s situation, but his speech contains great
truths that can be found throughout the Bible.

9. “I myself have seen a fool
taking root, but suddenly his
house was cursed.” (Job 5:3 NIV)
Eliphaz’s words didn’t apply to Job’s situation, but his speech contains great
truths that can be found throughout the Bible.
• “A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for
them, they will not be found.” (Psalm 37:10 NIV)
Job 5:3
• “Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved
curse does not come to rest.” (Proverbs 26:2 NIV)
Job 5:6
• “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the
lowly.” (Luke 1:52)
Job 5:11-12
• “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is
written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness’”
(1 Corinthians 3:19)
Job 5:13
• “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him
out of all his troubles.” (Psalm 34:6)
Job 5:15
• “…My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be
discouraged when you are rebuked by Him” (Hebrews 12:5)
Job 5:17
• “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but He will heal
us; He has injured us but He will bind up our wounds.” (Hosea 6:1 NIV)
Job 5:18
• “To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in
famine.” (Psalm 33:19)
Job 5:20

10. “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both
bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the
hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)
Eliphaz was more focused on defending
God the way he understood Him than on
showing mercy for the fallen soul.
We live within the Great Controversy
framework like Job did, and we also suffer
its consequences. Therefore, we need
compassion and sympathy, not to be
lectured.
Our judgement will be wrong if we don’t
use mercy, even if we that judgement is
true. If we judge without mercy, serious
consequences will come for us. “For
judgment is without mercy to the one who
has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over
judgment.” (James 2:13)

11. “Of course, God is just. But that doesn’t
automatically mean that we will see His justice
made manifest in every situation that happens
in this fallen world. The fact is, we don’t. Justice
and judgment will come, but not necessarily
now (Rev. 20:12). Part of what it means to live
by faith is to trust God that the justice so lacking
here will one day be revealed and made
manifest.”
(Clifford Goldstein, Sabbath School Quarterly, November 4, 2016)

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